Gilbert says he was flooded with phone messages. The NBA’s most celebrated player criticized Trump for rescinding a White House invitation to Golden State’s Stephen Curry to honor the team’s NBA championship.

Gilbert said on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Friday that he had not told James about the voicemails. The owner says he was unnerved by an “element of racism” that he didn’t “realize existed in this country this much.”

Earlier this week, James said he did not regret his comment about Trump. Gilbert says he supports both political parties. Gilbert’s Quicken Loans donated $750,000 to the president’s inauguration party.